PRUNING FRUIT TREES 147 
first and second disbudding, and then it may be necessary in another 
ten days to look over the trees finally. 
If one remembers that one young shoot must be left at the top 
of the older shoot, one as near the base as possible, and one here and 
there wherever there may be room to train it in, disbudding can be 
easily understood. Some of the intervening growths are removed 
at the first disbudding, the remaining ones at the second and 
third. Unless one growth is retained at the top of the old shoot, the 
latter will die back’ to the base, and any fruits it may carry will 
be useless. Ifa growth is not left at the base of the older shoot, 
uney the latter has to be removed there is nothing to take its 
place. 
Sweet Cherries.—The fruit of the Sweet Cherry is produced 
chiefly on spur clusters which arise on the older branches. Com- 
paratively little pruning is necessary. In summer the growths 
are shortened to 3 or 4 inches before the fruits begin to colour, 
and all superfluous ones are cut out. It is important that light 
and air should be able to gain access to the shoots, and this is 
accomplished by cutting out any not required and by shortening 
others. There is little pruning to do in winter. 
Red, White, and Black Currants and Gooseberries.— 
The fruit of the Red and White Currant and of the Gooseberry is 
produced on spurs or short stubby growths that form on the stems. 
The fruit of the Black Currant is borne on the previous year’s shoots 
and not on spur growths. Thus it will be easily understood that the 
same method of pruning cannot suit both, and in the cultivation of 
fruit trees more mistakes are made-in pruning than in anything else. 
The chief pruning of Black Currants takes place after the fruit is 
gathered, some of the shoots which have fruited being cut out to 
allow more space, more light and air for the development and 
proper maturation of the young shoots which have yet to fruit. 
At the winter pruning there is little to do beyond thinning out 
the old shoots when necessary and slightly shortening some of the 
young shoots to preserve the balance of the bush. Most of the 
fruit on Red and White Currants is obtained from spur growths 
some two or three years old. The young shoots are shortened by 
about half, and in due course fruit spurs will form on them. 
Side shoots on older wood are cut to within two buds of the 
base at the winter pruning after being summer pruned to five or 
six leaves. 
The Strawberry.—The Strawberry thrives best in a good 
loamy soil, heavy rather than light. Planting should be done not 
later than September, otherwise the plants will bear a poor crop 
the next year. A good plan is to put out the plants 1 foot apart 
in the rows, having the latter 2 feet distant from each other. 
Then after the first crop has been gathered every other plant may 
be taken up, thus leaving the remainder at a uniform distance of 
2 feet. The best variety for little gardens is Royal Sovereign. 
